A big step in the wrong direction

By Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎

Most of all, what does this move actually gain for Taiwan?

If Taiwan really wants to move toward long-term stability, it needs to work on an internal consensus, a “Taiwan consensus,” on how Taiwanese, through a democratic mechanism, perceive their future. For long-term stability, Taiwan needs to strengthen its position as a key member of the regional economic framework among East Asian nations, and for long-term stability it is also essential to develop closer political ties with democratic neighbors such as Japan and the Philippines, as well as faraway friends such as the EU and the US.

Nat Bellocchi is a former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan. The views expressed in this article are his own.